Angela

Angela (Ange) and her partner Matt have been foster carers with Life Without Barriers for almost a decade. They provide long-term care and short-term care, and have cared for siblings during that time. The longest time a child has stayed in their care has been seven years, but sometimes, they provide care just for a weekend. They also frequently get visits from young people who are no longer in care, a testament to the relationships they build and the care they provide.

We sat down with Ange to chat with her about her experience of being a foster carer in Ipswich, Queensland, and what she looks for in a potential carer as a Carer Ambassador for Life Without Barriers.

What inspired you to start your foster care journey?

A few people in my family have been foster carers, but not for a generation or two. We thought we'd bring it back. When our children were old enough, we had a good chat with them and decided to just do it.

Do you have any other friends who are foster carers?

Not before we were carers ourselves. Now, we've made connections through foster care and events put on by Life Without Barriers, they are always so great to go to, to connect with other people.

How do you prepare your home for a young person to come in?

We try to learn as much information as we can before they arrive, which isn't always that much. Then we do what we can. We make sure that everything's clean and quiet and that they've got all the things they could need. This includes their own clothes, toiletries, and some snacks so they don’t have to ask for those things.

Image: Ange and Matt at the National Foster Care Conference in Hobart, Tasmania 2023. Ange is wearing a blue jumper and Matt is wearing a Life Without Barriers' Reconciliation t-shirt.

Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about becoming a carer?

What I always try and say to people is, it is ok to take your time and decide on your own. We had our worries, and everyone was saying ‘it's going to be too hard’ and we realised we were putting it off because other people were saying that it's too hard, people that haven’t been carers.

Is there a myth about foster care you want to dispel?

That children in care are all ‘wild’ or ‘bad children’. That is just not the case and is a harmful stereotype.

Do you have any favourite moments from your experience as a foster carer?

I love catching up with kids that we have cared for. I love seeing them and hearing about their lives. We have a few young people who still come and stay with us sometimes.

Have you had to overcome any challenges?

Our biggest challenge is working through the out-of-homecare system. Working with the agency (Life Without Barriers) has been great. But there are some barriers in the system we have to work through.

What support do you receive from Life Without Barriers?

They are honestly amazing and get us through everything. They're our first point of call. As soon as something happens, we can just get straight on the phone and the team will work with us until it's sorted out.

We have a Child and Family Practitioner, but it's everybody in the Ipswich team. It is just a good place that I can always have somebody to go to if I need to for any reason.

What is your relationship like with the family?

It is great! We and their nana and papa do lots of things together, including birthdays. We currently share care with his mum. He is with her three nights a week and with us four nights a week and we communicate nearly every day.

She had to make some hard decisions to remove them from violence. So, she's had to kind of build new supports around her, which includes us.

We are doing what we can to try and get these kids back home, and to support them as much as we can along the way.

Can you explain what reunification is?

The goal is, of course, reunification, but if not, we are here to support and help as long as we are needed.

We're looking after these children until they reunify with their families. At the moment, their parents don’t have the means to have the children back full-time. So, until that happens, we take care of the children and try to work with the parents, Life Without Barriers, and the Child Safety Department to make that a smooth process for the children.

As well as being a foster carer, Ange is also one of Life Without Barriers’ Foster Care Ambassadors.

In my role as an ambassador, I help Life Without Barriers by going out into the community in Queensland and talking to other people about becoming carers and what it is all about. People can ask me questions, and I have the real-life experience to be able to help them make decisions.

What do you look for in a foster carer?

We are looking for people with a passion for helping children and people who are prepared to go the long haul. Someone who is trying to do what they can to help children.

How did you become a Foster Care Ambassador, and what does your role involve?

Life Without Barriers asked, they put a call out to current carers and asked who would like to do it. I thought about it and gave it a go. Now I love it. I love going to work, I love everything about it.

At the moment, there are just not enough foster carers in Ipswich. Many children, including younger children, are going into residential homes, which is not ideal. We're desperate for all types of carers at the moment, and I like helping close that gap.